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The East African Community (EAC) plans to double its fruit and vegetable exports over the course of the next eight years, bringing its revenue to $900 million. The region expects to grow the area under fruit production by 5%, to 10 million hectares, in the 2021-2031 strategic plan, which was released late in 2021.
This plan has an eye on the global export market.
The region also expects to expand vegetable output by 5% of cultivated area, from 32.8 million hectares to 45 million hectares, with at least a 3% improvement in productivity. By 2031, intra-EAC trade in fruit and vegetable goods would have increased from $9.9 million to $25 million, if the plan is executed.
“If you look at our Strategic Plan for the years 2021 to 2031, the EAC produces a wide range of fruits and vegetables (F&V), which can be exported to regional and international markets,” said Christopher Bazivamo, the EAC deputy secretary general in charge of productive and social sectors, to The East African.
Valuable resources with huge potential
“The EAC region is endowed with a wide range of resources including land, water, favorable climate, human resources and market outlets that provide for potential food security within the region. However, food insecurity remains rampant. According to FAO statistics, more than 20 million people in the Eastern Africa region are currently food insecure and are depending on food relief,” the strategy read.
Currently, the European Union (EU) accounts for 49% of the fresh produce the EAC exports. Fruit and vegetable trade between the EAC and the EU is anticipated to be 187 000 tonnes per year, worth $455.9 million.
Vegetable exports have increased dramatically in value, from $39 million in 2005 to nearly $80 million in 2019. Beans, avocados and pineapples are the most common fruits and vegetables shipped to the EU, along with brassica vegetables, peas, pepper and leguminous vegetables.
“This sector has the potential for huge investments, and provides an economic opportunity for reducing rural poverty in the EAC,” Bazivamo added.


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When it comes to creating outdoor apparel, many legacy brands have left women in the dust. Most have simply followed the “shrink it and pink it” model, attempting to feminize men’s styles with smaller sizes and pretty color palettes (cough cough, pink or purple), but ignoring things like fit, functionality, and diverse sizing.
“The outdoor industry is rightfully [known] as one that is slow to the punch in terms of progressiveness. It has taken sustainability seriously, and has for a long time, but as it pertains to welcoming under-represented communities, extended sizing, etcetera—there is still work to be done,” says Ariana Ferwerda, co-founder and CEO of the women’s ski and snowboard apparel brand, Halfdays, which was founded in 2019. “It’s an untapped opportunity.”
2023 will be a breath of fresh air for women’s “recleisure,” aka clothing and accessories that can be worn on the trails and beyond. It’s not “Gorpcore,” high fashion’s term for outdoorsy styles meant to be worn on the streets, not in the elements. Instead, like the boom in “athleisure” that got athletic apparel out of the gym and the rise of “workleisure” that married professionalism with comfort, recleisure will blend fashion and recreation, offering women more transitional, size-inclusive technical pieces they can wear anywhere, especially in the great outdoors. Think: technical skorts and dresses, hiking sneakers instead of boots, and aprés-friendly ski wear.
The Experts Take
Co-founder and Co-CEO of Alder Apparel
“Customers want more versatile options to fill their wardrobes. They want their technical gear to flow seamlessly into their everyday life—things they can wear on a hike to be comfortable and well-equipped to handle the elements, and then wear out to brunch with friends after.”
As Well+Good Trends Advisor Naomi Blackman, co-founder of women’s outdoor recreation company Alder Apparel (founded in 2019) explains, customers want versatility above all else: ”They want their technical gear to flow seamlessly into their everyday life—things they can wear on a hike to be comfortable and well-equipped to handle the elements, and then wear out to brunch with friends after,” she says. Blackman says the brand’s designs—which have expanded from a single pair of hiking pants to an entire collection of tops, bottoms, dresses, and outerwear in just two years—start from a place of function. From there, designs are less about trends and more about fit, especially on the sizing front. Currently, all of Alder’s pieces are offered in sizes ranging from XS to 6XL.
“The outdoor industry—and apparel overall—has been notoriously slow to consider inclusivity,” Blackman says. “We built Alder with inclusivity in mind from day one…We spend a lot of time working on how our garments will fit on different bodies and how the garment will move with you throughout your day.” In 2023, Alder is adding a swim and workwear line, as well as additional lengths in the best-selling Open Air Pants. “We'll continue to design with new fits, sizing updates, continue to represent all bodies [with real customers as models], and continue working towards building a more diverse outdoor industry,” Blackman says.
Alder Apparel isn’t the only new brand that’s come out of the woodwork to tackle outdoor sports’ inclusivity problem with more stylish, better-fitting clothes. Nor is it the only one with plans for growth in 2023. Ferwerda says Halfdays will continue expanding its sizing to be as inclusive as possible (currently, Halfdays’s items range from size 0 to 26). This fall, it released its first line of versatile puffer coats and parkas to be worn off the slopes. In 2023, Halfdays will “launch new styles that take customers into all seasons and outdoor activities outside of skiing.”
Alpine Parrot, which was founded in 2020 and makes hiking gear exclusively for women sizes 14 to 24, just announced its first hiking shirt for pre-order this November in sizes 1X to 5X and in two different fits based on bra cup size. In early 2023, founder and CEO Raquel Vélez says, the brand will expand its pants sizing up to size 30 (available for pre-order now!) and plans to drop totally new styles later in the year.
So why all this momentum for women’s recleisure now? “Looking at who’s outdoors, it was never represented in what the industry was showing us,” says Chelsea Rizzo, co-founder of Hikerkind. She explains that it’s not just white, male extreme athletes on the trails, but regular people, including people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, and women. “Finally, there’s this rumbling of, ‘This is who’s actually outside, and we’re going to finally create options and change the narrative of what the outdoor industry has been telling us for all these years,’” she says.
A pandemic brainchild, Hikerkind was founded by Rizzo and Allison Levy to create utilitarian, minimalist, and fashionable women’s hiking gear. With that, it’s also a New York City-based hiking club deeply rooted in community, dedicated to giving all women a place of their own to meet fellow nature lovers and get a breath of fresh air together. Both sides of the business have seen explosive growth: In just a year since the brand officially launched, Hikerkind’s sales have exploded, up 134 percent year over year, while its Hike Club participation increased over five times from 2021, up to 1,477 sign-ups total. Additionally, Hikerkind signed its first wholesale partnership with Madewell in August 2022 and sales have already been successful, particularly those in the extended-sizing arena, which make up about 27 percent of all purchases.
Rizzo and Levy seem to think that recleisure’s recent surge was a long time coming and is being welcomed from both consumers and businesses in the space. “People are so excited and ready for a change. Hearing the stories of women, people of color, and people with different body types—these people are really being listened to by [brand executives]” Rizzo says. “And rather than the people at the top [of legacy companies] being like, ‘Okay, well, we can do this on our own’, they’re inviting us in, creating opportunities, and creating new spaces so we can diversify the outdoors.” For Hikerkind, this means bringing its Hike Club on the road in 2023, giving women around the country a chance to get outside together.
REI made significant strides for diversity and inclusion this year, too: It expanded its apparel size range in all stores to 3XL this spring, saw double-digit growth in women’s outerwear sales, and launched a collection with Outdoor Afro (an organization committed to connecting Black people and communities to nature) in September. Jessica Weidenbach, REI’s merchandising manager for women’s outerwear, says versatility will continue to be top of mind in 2023. “Our goal is to get more people outside,” she says. “From a design perspective, women want to be comfortable and confident in what they are wearing, regardless of what they are doing. More and more, we are seeing customers choosing color and style to express themselves, as well as focusing on quality and sustainable brands that align with their values. Our assortment now and in the future really caters to this level of versatility that is performance first, yet stylish and functional.”
Legacy activewear brands are also exploring new terrain, veering off their beaten paths with more versatile, outdoor-focused options. Adidas, Saucony, and Vivobarefoot have all experimented with street-to-trail-running hybrids that can be worn well beyond the woods this fall, launching the Free Hiker 2, Ride 15 TR, and Tracker Decon FG2, respectively. Outdoor Voices and Lululemon both launched hike-specific collections for Fall 2022, both of which include technical pieces with a twist, such as OV’s pocket-loaded Zip-Off Overalls and Lululemon’s Grid Fleece Overshirt that doubles as a trendy button-down.
Explore More Fitness Trends
Mobility Training Moves Out of the Physical Therapist’s Office
Even companies that don’t make outdoor apparel seem to be leaning into a crunchier, more nature-focused aesthetic. Farm Rio launched its first-ever ski collection in late November. One of Aerie’s Fall ‘22 edits was titled “You’re A Trail Blazer” and featured athleisure pieces with a nature-y spin, like the LumberJane Flannel and the Down-to-Earth Crew Sweatshirt, emblazoned with the phrase, “Mind in the Mtns.” Similarly, Abercrombie & Fitch’s new Ultra Collection—a line of toasty puffer vests and jackets—was marketed with the tagline: “Our warmest collection of coats, from the sidewalks to the slopes.”
“The outdoor lifestyle is trending right now. Outdoor apparel is becoming more lifestyle, and lifestyle [apparel] is becoming more outdoorsy,” says Wayne Borromeo, president and chief marketing officer at Wondery, another women’s outdoor apparel and gear brand. Founded in 2016, Wondery was one of the first to champion the empowerment of women and marginalized communities outdoors. Borromeo and Wondery’s community director, Lydia Mok, thinks it’s trending because it’s what customers want, and they’re willing to spend money on gear that actually fits, looks good, and gets them outside. “We’re asking for it. Social media has allowed us to say things like, ‘I want to see someone like me in the outdoors,’” says Mok. “I personally know people who, when they shop, will look up a brand and ask, ‘How diverse is this brand? What stories are they telling? Is it all homogenous folks?’ The customer is becoming smarter and the demand is definitely there.”
“There is a massive opportunity to create gear that speaks to these segments who have been left out of the outdoor industry for decades.” Ferwerda adds. “I absolutely think this is going to grow and will become table-stakes for brands over the next few years.” ✙

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Soy is well-known for its significant presence in meat substitute products, with companies such as Heura, THIS, and the Vegetarian Butcher using it. This has even led to claims that the vegan lifestyle is greatly harming the environment.
However, only about 20% of soy is used in products for humans, with less than half of these for vegetarian and vegan products. The vast majority – nearly 80% - of soy is grown to feed animals. This soy is often grown on land cleared through deforestation, which is a significant cause of climate change as trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
“Currently, the food system is part of the problem,” said Nicola Brennan, Conversion Free Supply Chains policy officer at WWF. “The expansion of crops like soy, the vast majority of which goes into livestock feed, is driving deforestation and conversion of precious habitats like the Cerrado in Brazil.”
Soy production leads to great ecological damage. While not as significant a cause as pasture for beef production, using it has still led to a significant amount of deforestation, WWF told FoodNavigator.
In fact, soy production has doubled over the last two decades. Much of it relies on turning savannahs, grasslands and indeed forests into land where soy can be grown.
While the US and Brazil are the leading producers of soy, the biggest importers of the crop for animal feed are actually China and the EU. The UK is also a significant importer, with 3 million tonnes per year, which needs a land area roughly 11 times the size of Greater London to grow, going into the country. A full 77% comes from places of high deforestation risk.
Soy is a popular crop for animal feed because of its high protein content. Thus, the food system needs to find a replacement that is both more sustainable and provides the protein that animals need.
A 2021 study by Capestone, an organic farm, shows that soy can be replaced by pea protein in chicken feed without sacrificing any quality in the chickens themselves. The pea is high in protein and thus provides a solid protein substitute for soy. It is also considered sustainable.
The study, which was supported via the ‘Future Foods Wales’ project which is the co-located project with access to AberInnovation facilities, traced the weight and colour of the chickens over time as they consumed the altered feed. The soy bean that would normally have been in the feed was gradually replaced by the white field pea.
As the soy bean was substituted, the colour of the chickens increased in redness and yellowness, because of the increase of their increased intake of carotene, a pigment found in plants that gives them colour. However, in the end this did not affect the colour of chickens when displayed in retailers. The chickens also had a low shear force, meaning they were tender.
This suggests that change in feed does not reduce the quality of the meat, and that animal feed does not need to rely on soy.
The calories from edible crops fed to animals would be enough to feed 4 billion people.
The WWF also suggested some solutions to the problem of soy-based feed. Their 2022 Future of Feed Report suggests that livestock, rather than eating soy feed, should switch to ‘lower opportunity cost’ feeds such as grassland, insect meal or seaweed.
By using agricultural by-products, the report suggests, the demand on agricultural land will be significantly reduced. ‘Low opportunity cost’ essentially means giving animals food that wouldn’t be used for people, as opposed to ‘high opportunity cost’ food which people could eat if animals were not given it.
The report suggests using human food waste – one third of food globally – to feed animals, which won’t cost any calories to humans.
Care must be taken that animals get the right nutrients from low opportunity cost feed. For example, dairy cattle, when eating a diet of grass, have a reduced milk yield, but when eating rapeseed cake their milk yield is actually increased.
However, WWF was adamant that changing animal feed alone is not enough to make the food system sustainable.
“We cannot put our food system on a sustainable footing if we continue to produce livestock at current volumes,” they said. “In countries with very high levels of meat and dairy consumption, like the UK, we need to reduce meat and dairy . . . and embrace more plant rich diets.”


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As of Q1 2008, YouTube is not profitable, with its revenues being noted as “immaterial” by Google in a regulatory filing. Its bandwidth costs are estimated at approximately $1 million a day.
So umm, where’s the money coming from? Google might have billions but $1 million/day could suck that dry pretty quick.
Though I suppose starting a new kind of television is going to be expensive…


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Despite widespread mobile use and adoption in the U.S., the country has been relatively slow to replace plastic payment cards with mobile payments (m-payments). In fact, Americans use their Starbucks mobile payment service more than they use any other mobile wallet, including Apple Pay. Meanwhile, India, China, and Kenya have all built out vast m-payments [...] The post Mobile Payments: Why is the US lagging behind China, India, and Kenya? appeared first on NewtonX Blog.
Online fraud targeting businesses has become an epidemic, with companies as large as Google suffering losses from simple scams. In fact, in 2017 $1.4B in electronic fraud was reported to the FBI, an increase of almost 50% from 2013. 40% of this billion dollar loss was a result of “business email compromise”, a type of [...] The post Business Fraud in the Age of AI: Can New Technologies Prevent a Rise in Scams? appeared first on NewtonX Blog.
The mobility sector is on the brink of a major overhaul, transforming from a product-based industry (individually owned cars) to a service-based industry (ride sharing and public transportation). Between autonomous vehicles and the proliferation of ridesharing services, new potential revenue streams are opening up in the transportation market, even as traditional vehicle sales stagnate, and [...] The post The New Shared Mobility Market: How the American Transportation Landscape Has Changed Post-Uber appeared first on NewtonX Blog.
At a recent Senate hearing, lawmakers found a new target for concerns over consumer data privacy: brick and mortar retailers. Most retailers today collect shopper data, monitor in-store behavior, and send promotions or targeted content based on in-store data. Now, however, federal lawmakers may deem user data collection as a violation of shoppers’ rights to [...] The post Does In-Store AI Violate Privacy Protections? Brick and Mortar Retailers Say ‘No’ appeared first on NewtonX Blog.


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German wholesaler Metro has raised its sales by over a quarter in the last three months, thanks to the upturn in the hospitality sector. However, the quarter ended with a heavy loss, because of the Belgian branch.
Sales rise 27 %
Metro had a strong quarter. Turnover rose – in local currency – by 27.2 % to 7.9 billion euros. The wholesale group “significantly growing across all channels and segments, selling more goods and seeing notable business success in the countries”, CEO Steffen Greubel said in a press statement.
In Croatia, France, Poland and Romania, Metro even had the best quarter in its history. Turkey, however, recorded the strongest sales growth of all countries, mainly because of inflation. In Ukraine, sales fell by 36.9 % due to the war. Western European countries – excluding Germany – recorded a 31.7 % increase in sales, with double-digit growth in nearly all countries.
In Italy, Metro launched its online marketplace last quarter, which is taking an increasing share of sales. Online turnover rose by just under 50 % to 18 million euros, while sales by delivery rose by 64.4 % to 1.8 billion euros. Already 22 % of all sold goods are delivered. However, in-store sales also increased by 18.7 % to 6.1 billion euros.
136 million to get rid of Belgium
Although adjusted EBITDA rose from 310 million euros last year to 441 million euros today, the wholesaler ended the quarter with a loss. Belgium was a major culprit, as the sale of the Belgian branch cost the group 136 million euros. In addition, strong negative currency effects – such as the collapse of the rouble – cost the company a total of 400 million euros. This resulted in a net loss of 290 million euros.
For the remainder of the year, Metro continues to believe that it will keep up with its heightened outlook, despite the “turbulences on the world markets”. “Challenges such as inflation and the availability of energy and commodity are currently on top of our agenda and we are pro-actively managing these issues,” says Greubel.


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Fortnite Naruto Updates: There were a number of Fortnite leaks last season that claimed that Epic Games was working on getting the necessary licensing to add Naruto to the game. However, this season, the rumored collaboration is with Carnage and not Naruto. The article talks about the highly hyped as well as rumors of Naruto Skin in Season 8, and the date it might arrive in the game as a skin for players.
Fortnite Naruto Updates
It’s been confirmed that Naruto Uzumaki is in the game files, and it’s likely that he will eventually make his way to Fortnite. However, the question remains, when will Naruto finally appear in Fortnite? Naruto is a popular manga series that has inspired millions of fans around the world and inspired a huge following globally. With a huge following, there’s a good chance that this collaboration would involve having Naruto as a character in Fortnite.
It’s safe to say that Naruto won’t be getting a battle pass reward in Fortnite Season 8. However, it has been speculated that the concept of him being a battle pass reward was a misunderstanding. Naruto is the most popular manga in the world. Its fans can be found all around the world. Although the skin was leaked way back, and still does not have a confirmed release date in the game, the gaming community never fails to look forward and get excited about what comes next, especially if it’s an overly popular anime skin. With the latest skin leak, the community is already looking forward to what’s next.
The Naruto skin collaboration will become one of the biggest selling skins in Fortnite due to the huge popularity of anime in the game. This trend has also continued since Season 2. Instead, it has been speculated that Epic Games is working on acquiring the necessary licensing to allow Naruto to join the battle pass. During a conversation with Donald Mustard, the game’s CCO, players learned that Naruto would be an item shop cosmetic. So the fans can hope to see the skin soon, although not in battlepass.


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Spa Week Media Group, a growing spa marketing company, announced its new partnership with InComm to sell Spa Week Gift Cards in the retail channel nationwide. InComm is one of the largest distributor of gift cards in the world with nearly $10 billion in retail sales and more than one billion customers every week. The Spa Week Gift Card will be InComm’s exclusive spa and wellness gift card, and will be available in more than 17,000 retail locations this year and more than 20,000 retail locations in 2012. Target, Sam’s Club, CVS Pharmacy and Rite Aid are just some of the retailers that will be selling the Spa Week Gift Card as its exclusive spa gift card this Holiday Season.
Distribution with these key retailers will exponentially grow the company’s national gift card program with the net result of driving more and more consumers to Spa Week’s valued spa partners. During the next few years, Spa Week will continue to work with InComm to expand distribution of the Spa Week Gift Card with the goal of having it becoming the largest selling spa and wellness gift card in the industry.


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Posts Tagged ‘ Liquid E700 ’
Monday, December 8, 2014
Acer has further expanded its range of smartphones in the country with the launch of two new devices. Part of the company’s Liquid-series, the smartphones were first unveiled at the Computex 2014 event in June this year. Both of them run on the Android operating system and sport 5-inch displays. T...


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Although the United States’ $380 billion apparel industry is one of the largest in the world, approximately 97% of apparel is manufactured outside of the country. Retailers import goods from countries such as China, Mexico and Taiwan, but that may soon change. The election of President Donald Trump has some industry giants concerned. Trump campaigned heavily on the promise that he would impose a border tax on companies which move jobs outside of the US, and he has been backed by Congressional Republicans, who support a border adjustment tax.
Fashion retailers are wondering how this tariff will affect their bottom line. Because overseas workers are paid well below the US federal minimum wage, sometimes earning less than $500 per month, retailers enjoy a large profit margin on the goods sold. Outsourced workers work for pennies on our dollar to create the jackets and jeans that hang on the racks of US retail stores.
Alan Auerbach of UC Berkeley claims removing the currently existing incentives to relocate might help to lessen the impending strain on the American economy. He believes it may drive higher wages and investments, but admits that it won’t likely work across all industries, due to cost differentiation.
The Garment Worker Center is a workers’ rights organization protecting garment workers in Los Angeles. Director Marissa Nuncio expressed doubts that Trump’s proposal will bring about the desired change, and that the United States garment industry will likely not see a resurgence.
An example of the direct effect of increasing imports on the American workforce can be found in California. Southern California is home to the largest apparel manufacturing plants in the United States, employing approximately 46,000 workers. Most of the remaining factories are in the fashion district of Los Angeles, where American employees cut, dye and sew fabric for retail apparel. While 46,000 American employees may seem a substantial number, it’s actually roughly half the number employed 10 years ago, and is still decreasing.


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10/18/2013 5:49amGeneral Electric said Friday that net income fell 9 percent in the third quarter as the company struggles to grow revenue and profits after shedding media and banking assets. But improving industrial performance helped the company beat Wall Street expectations.
10/18/2013 5:58amInvestment bank Morgan Stanley says that its third-quarter earnings almost doubled as the firm's equity sales and trading revenue rose.
10/18/2013 6:30amThe euro pushed above $1.37 on Friday for the first time since February in a move that analysts say could crimp the single currency zone's recovery from recession.
10/18/2013 7:53amA division of Europe's HSBC bank has been ordered to pay about $2.46 billion in a class action lawsuit claiming that it violated federal securities laws.
10/18/2013 8:22amA Swiss private bank says it is closing down because of what it calls costly and burdensome rules it needs to follow in the wake of a tax evasion row between Switzerland and the United States.
10/18/2013 9:09amJ.C. Penney is opening its doors on Thanksgiving evening to kick off the holiday shopping season, as the beleaguered retailer hopes to get back in the game for the crucial selling period.
10/18/2013 10:33amGROWTH QUICKENS: China's economy, the world's second largest, grew 7.8 percent in the latest quarter compared with a year ago, government data showed Friday. That was up from 7.5 percent growth in the previous quarter, which was the slowest in two decades.
10/18/2013 1:19pmBoeing will slow down production of its double-decker 747 jumbo jet as demand continues to be weak.
10/18/2013 3:06pmThe New York Stock Exchange isn't taking any chances with Twitter's initial public offering.
10/18/2013 3:29pmU.S. Steel Corp. says its third-quarter financial results will include a non-cash "goodwill" impairment charge of $1.8 billion, reflecting an adjustment in the value of its steel-making operations.
10/18/2013 3:35pmShares of Voxeljet AG more than doubled Friday after the 3-D printing company raised $84.5 million in its initial public offering.


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Today, Opportunity Fund releases our latest research report, “Unaffordable and Unsustainable: The New Business Lending on Main Street.” The report offers a first-of-its-kind analysis of the loans and cash advances being offered to small businesses by short-term, high-cost alternative lenders.This growing market of alternative lenders operates largely outside of government regulation, with many lenders selling short-term, high-cost financing products that do more harm than good.
Our research draws conclusions from a detailed dataset of alternative loans held by small business owners who came to Opportunity Fund in hopes of refinancing. The report uncovers punishing loan terms from short-term, high-cost lenders, including an average annual percentage rate (APR) of 94 percent and an average monthly loan payment that is nearly double the owners’ net incomes.
The short terms and extraordinarily high cost of these loans put many small business owners in a cycle of debt that can be nearly impossible to get out of. Fortunately,not all non-bank small business lenders are doing this, and we applaud the ones that have signed on to the Small Business Borrowers Bill of Rights.
Highlights from the report include:
– The average alternative loan in the dataset carried an APR of 94%, with one loan priced at an astounding 358% APR
– The average monthly loan payment for businesses in the dataset is nearly double (178%) the net income available to their owner(s)
– Among Hispanic borrowers in the sample, the average monthly payment was more than 400% of take-home pay
– More than 25% of these businesses succumbed to multiple alternative lenders, in a practice called “stacking” in which lenders provide a follow-on loan to a small business that already has a loan
– Among the businesses Opportunity Fund helped refinance, owner(s) cut their monthly payments by over 60% and their APR by an average of 85%
High cost, predatory lenders operate in a regulatory void, resulting in a growing number of small-business owners accruing debt they can never repay. This report underscores the need for small business owners, lenders, advocates and policy makers to join together and demand transparent and responsible lending.
Download the report here and join our webinar on June 1st at 11am Pacific to hear more about the results.


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Following major revisions of the Nissan Maxima flagship sedan and best-selling Nissan Altima for the 2016 model year, Nissan today debuted a significantly revised 2016 Sentra at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
One year ago, Nissan used Los Angeles – arguably the hometown of the original custom car trend – to launch its unique factory-personalization program called the "Colour Studio" on the popular Nissan JUKE sport cross.
The Nissan Kickoff Project (formerly called Back in the Game), in partnership with the Canadian Football League (CFL), returned for its second year to give high school students across Canada the surprise of a lifetime.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)* yesterday ranked the company among the top 5 percent of global corporations participating in the international NPO's climate change program and included Nissan on its 113 A-List.
Fresh from being named the "Truck of Texas" by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), the 2016 TITAN XD, with its Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel, makes an ideal, if unconventional, land speed record racer.
A mere five months ago, a single 2016 Nissan TITAN PRO-4X drew record attendance for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) “measuring session.” That same vehicle – a show truck from the TITAN global unveil in Detroit – has been re-imagined as the “Measured for Success” TITAN XD, built completely by SEMA members at the SEMA Garage.


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E-Sports: A Must for Electronics Retailers!
By Emre Bilginoglu, Attorney-at-Law, Istanbul, Turkey Enthusiasm for e-sports has demonstrated itself quite palpably in the last few years in financial markets, benefiting all actors in the game, including electronics retailers. The same goes for developing markets. For example, Turkey ranked 18th in the world in 2018 in terms of gaming revenues with a solid US$ 850 million. More importantly, there are 30 million gamers active each month, more than a third of the population! Just a few numbers to summarise the current situation. Compared with a year before, notebook computers shrank by 2%, while gaming notebook computers grew by a stunning 90%. Monitors have stagnated, while gaming monitors have doubled their revenues. Gaming products have reached a hefty 18% of the whole of IT. Meanwhile, Teknosa, the Turkish technology retailer giant, has raised awareness of e-sports with a promotional campaign, named “Play Big”. The campaign aimed at drawing attention to gamer scholarships and to the fact that one can become a pro-athlete through e-sports. Moreover, the company has also realised its interest in e-sports by providing online and offline education to its employees on the subject. Consequently, Preo, Teknosa, its private label gaming mouse, has become the best seller in its category. Steve Ballmer, who was the CEO of Microsoft for 14 years, stated in an interview that the only way to be present in the living room was video gaming, thus building hardware. Microsoft moved into gaming with X-Box, which was a major success. Nowadays, smartphones and tablets are also the means to exist in the living room, but gaming products continue to enhance their significance. Teknosa has made an astute move by raising awareness of e-sports and appealing to gamers, hence setting an example for all competitors! Emre Bilginoglu, who is also admitted to practise Law in the State of New York, USA, may be contacted by e-mail at ‘


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The Alpine A110 is the first reborn vehicle in what the French manufacturer hopes will be a long string of model successes. Aside from the lightweight sports car, the brand is also allegedly going to rival the Porsche Macan with their own sporty SUV.
But before that happens the Alpine revival needs to be substantiated further – with something to attract even more fans, such as a track-only version of the A110. The company is already teasing us to the opportunity to race inside the A110, with a first sketch of the race car. For now, all we can see is the front end coming out of the race garage, but as far as we can see we’re dealing with a proper track hero. More aggressive diffuser, a tow hook, and some added aero details are all there, in the pursuit of better track times.
Naturally, the customization will include a roll cage, a bodykit with reworked aerodynamics, and a completely stripped-out interior to drop more weight. The regular turbocharged engine is also expected to jump – a good increase over the standard 252 horsepower (188 kilowatts) should be expected. Racing company Signatech is in charge of development and sales, and also takes care of FIA-homologation standards. The A110 racers will also play in a brand series starting in 2018, with around 20 entries on circuits across Europe.


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Super Seed International has announced its intention to safeguard the nutrition of American babies and all with an alternative quinoa-based formula.
PROVO, UTAH, USA, May 16, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Super Seed International, founded in 2005 in Provo, Utah, set out to save the nutrition of American babies with quinoa.
“An alternative baby formula is now urgently needed, after a pandemic and so many formula recalls have put the nutrition of millions of American babies at risk. I created QuinoAmino, Daily Nutrients Fix, for times like this,” says César “Valentino” Valdizán, model and founder of Super Seed International. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to do something great for the world. I became obsessed with using quinoa to create an alternative formula to save America’s nutrition when options were scarce. A formula that i could give anyone, whether it’s a baby, a malnourished child or a model and say, take it daily to get the nutrients needed to grow up healthy and beautiful .
QuinoAmino, Daily Nutrients Fix, is made up of three superfoods, quinoa, lucuma and maca. These superfoods are rich in essential nutrients, such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals, that a baby’s body cannot manufacture on its own. “The quinoa in QuinoAmino is the best-known source of vegetable protein due to its perfect amino acid composition,” says Dr. Craig Coleman, protein expert in the Department of Plants and Wildlife at Brigham Young University.
Since its inception, QuinoAmino by Super Seed, Daily Nutrients Fix, has received customer recognition, as well as honors and awards from the Peruvian Department of Agriculture and Tourism, Caritas International, Brigham Young University Ph.D., etc., to be an innovative alternative to preserve the nutrition of quinoa, an ancient superfood. Super Seed’s announcement that QuinoAmino is an alternative formula available to millions of American babies during this formula shortage now comes as a lifesaver for American baby nutrition.
“QuinoAmino, Daily Nutrients Fix, contains the nutrients necessary to advance the health and beauty of a baby and everyone. During a shortage of baby formula, its nutrients are an alternative formula for daily health needs American babies and for our model and founder Valentino, its nutrients help him get the daily beauty benefits he desires. I know there’s not a day that he doesn’t take it, that’s is a walking QuinoAmino billboard,” says Piero Valdizán, CEO of Super Seed International.
To visit www.superseedintl.com for more information.
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On Tuesday night, the Lincoln Motor Company previewed a first-of-its-kind collaboration, bringing the brand’s personally crafted yet effortless experiences out east this summer in partnership with coveted Montauk hot spot – Surf Lodge.
Don’t miss a beat! Click HERE to become a BELLA Insider!
The Lincoln x Surf Lodge collaboration was previewed through an intimate Hamptons-inspired cocktail party at the Trunk Club in Manhattan hosted by Lincoln President, Kumar Galhotra and Surf Lodge owner / cultural curator Jayma Cardoso, which brought the iconic destination to life in NYC. Guests were also able to check out the new 2018 Lincoln Navigator, which will be unveiled at today’s New York Auto Show (more information found here).
Special guests in attendance included model-DJ Alexandra Richards, blogger Athena Calderone, celebrity hairstylist Ric Pipino, Kelly Bensimon and more.
Lincoln x Surf Lodge is the latest exclusive experience to be offered through The Lincoln Way, providing guests exclusive access to curated experiences throughout the summer.
Dria Murphy (Photo Credit: Madison McGaw/BFA.com)


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U2 bassist The Edge reveals how the band needed to "double down" with their innovative sound on 'Achtung Baby'.
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Data released Friday show Indiana collected a total of $1.37 billion in tax revenue for October. That was $136.7 million, or 11.1%, more than anticipated by the April 15 state revenue forecast.
October began with the big Apple Festival in Bayfield, Wisconsin. All things apple were available. Thousands of pies, doughnuts, caramel-dipped apples and more were passed to hungry mouths by the frenzied hands of visitors to shops and orchards. The number of apple varieties available was amazing. But the apple celebration always has a tinge of sorrow for worshipers of summer because it means fall is firmly in charge.
Residents across the East are about to experience a burst of out-of-season warmth that will make it feel more like late August or early September.
Zendaya has heaped praise on her 'Dune' co-star Timothee Chalamet, describing him as a "good friend to have".


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A great report issued by Forrester recently provides some interesting details on the most fascinating trend in the enterprise: Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT). In “Charting the Rise of Bring-Your-Own-Technology” Connie Moore identifies three big takeaways:
Fifty-three percent of information workers have leveraged their own personal devices, installed unsupported software, or used unsupported Internet-based services to help them do their jobs. This trend is largely universal across geographic regions, company size, and industry sector.
New technologies will be self-provisioned by employees — most aggressively by senior executives. Even if the IT organization wants to put its head in the sand and avoid the issue, it can’t because senior execs are leading the BYOT parade. Our research shows that 77% of executives buy their own hardware and 45% self- provision software.
BYOT is a voluntary, spontaneous groundswell. But within 36 months, companies will reverse their negativity and encourage workers to bring their own technology. Get ready now — when the paradigm shifts, BYOT will become standard policy and a requirement for new hires.”
One aspect of the report that caught my eye was thefact that the trend is broad-based in IT—it’s not just Apple fanboys and girls dragging their iPhones into the office. Moore says that many respondents had purchased software themselves and gotten reimbursed by their companies. In all, more than half of the nearly 10,000 workers surveyed by Forrester around the world had used a personal device or non-supported software:


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One other particular person has been added to the affected person toll in an outbreak of Listeria infections of unknown origins, in response to the Meals and Drug Administration.
As of Feb. 17 there have been 14 folks confirmed as sufferers within the Listeria outbreak that was first introduced by the FDA on Feb. 9. The company has not reported any info on the ages of the sufferers or the place they reside.
FDA investigators have begun traceback efforts in relation to the outbreak of Listeria infections, however they haven’t reported what meals or meals they’re .
In a brand new outbreak itemizing the FDA reviews that 4 infants have been contaminated from Cronobacter and Salmonella micro organism in toddler method merchandise. All 4 sufferers have been hospitalized.
One youngster with an an infection from coronobacter has died. The demise stays below investigation.
The FDA is advising customers to not use Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered toddler formulation if:
- the primary two digits of the code are 22 by way of 37 and
- the code on the container accommodates K8, SH, or Z2, and
- the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.
The corporate has initiated a recall.
The entire sick infants are reported to have consumed powdered toddler method (IF) produced from Abbott Diet’s Sturgis, MI, facility. The FDA has initiated an onsite inspection on the facility.
The desk under reveals details about 4 different ongoing outbreak investigations being managed by FDA’s CORE Response Teams and one investigation that has been closed. The investigations are in quite a lot of phases. Some outbreaks have restricted info with energetic investigations ongoing, others could also be close to completion. The desk under has been abbreviated to point out solely energetic investigations.
The Meals and Drug Administration will difficulty public well being advisories for outbreak investigations that end in “particular, actionable steps for customers — comparable to throwing out or avoiding particular meals — to take to guard themselves,” in response to the outbreak desk web page.
Not all recalls and alerts end in an outbreak of foodborne sickness. Not all outbreaks end in remembers.
Outbreak investigations that don’t end in particular, actionable steps for customers could or could not conclusively determine a supply or reveal any contributing components, in response to CORE’s outbreak desk web page. If a supply(s) and/or contributing components are recognized that would inform future prevention, FDA commits to offering a abstract of these findings, in response to CORE officers.
(To join a free subscription to Meals Security Information, click here.)


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England Logistics, a non-asset based third-party logistics company, has been recognized as one of Utah’s most prominent companies by MountainWest Capital Network (MWCN), an awards program that recognizes the Top Revenue Growth Companies in Utah, as well as select Emerging Elite companies.
“It is clear Utah is one of the hottest places in the country to start or run a business,” said Paul Skeen, chairman of the MWCN Utah 100 committee. “As a strong indicator, we had a record number of Utah companies vying for the 100 fastest-growing companies in Utah along with about a 400% increase in the number of Emerging Elite nominations.”
England Logistics was chosen from a pool of thousands of eligible companies throughout the state and all industries based on revenue growth from 2010 through 2014. The company attended the Utah 100 Awards Luncheon at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City recently to accept its award as the 15th top revenue growing company.
Offering a portfolio of non-asset-based transportation solutions including full truckload services; intermodal, dry, and cold chain LTL; parcel, global logistics, and complete supply chain management; England Logistics is an equal opportunity employer. Go to www.englandlogistics.com for further information.
Access www.mwcn.org to learn more about MWCN.


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AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through links on our site.
Palm announced sales of 823,000 smartphones, including both its new WebOS Pre and existing models of Treo and Centros that use the classic Palm OS and Windows Mobile. Wall Street's expectations had come in at 700,000 to 800,000.
"I think they had a really strong 1Q. Obviously, well above expectations," said Avian Securities analyst Matthew Thornton in a report filed by Yahoo Finance. "But when you back out the first-quarter upside and the full-year guidance that they provide, then there really isn't much upside for the last three quarters. Of course, 2Q is going to be down."
Palm reported a net loss (applicable to common stockholders) of $164.5 million for the quarter ending in August. It plans to raise new capital in the sale of 16 million shares. Elevation Partners plans to buy $35 million at the offering, according to the report.
After the very high profile introduction of the Pre in January, the company almost silently launched the Pixi, a slimmed down new WebOS phone without WiFi, earlier this month. It is expected to sell for $99 exclusively through Sprint later this year. The Pre's launch fireworks fizzled with the introduction of the iPhone 3GS, which erased the hardware advantage Palm expected to maintain, dramatically reshaping inventor's hopes.
In the company's earnings conference call, Palm chairman and chief executive officer Jon Rubinstein, a former Apple executive (and NeXT veteran), seemed to channel Steve Jobs of ten years ago in saying, "Weâre making significant progress with Palmâs transformation, and our culture of innovation is stronger than ever. Weâre launching more great Palm webOS products with more carriers, and turning our sights toward growth.â
Rubinstein said Palm would be working to develop a family of WebOS products, establish a "world-class" development platform, build greater awareness of the Palm brand, and work to execute its goals with precision.
Part of that strategy involves dumping any distractions, including both the company's original Palm OS and the Windows Mobile partnership that Palm forged with Microsoft in 2006, a year before Rubinstein arrived. Palm's support for Windows Mobile helped nearly double Microsoft's market share at the time.
The discontinuation of Palm's Windows Mobile devices comes on the heels of Motorola's announcement that it will also drop Windows Mobile to focus on Android, and the news that HTC, the largest Windows Mobile manufacturer, plans to offer half of its smartphones running Android next year.


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Online travel agency Agoda has a new CEO starting 1 June as it aims to expand its services on a worldwide scale. The company’s chief operating officer John Brown will assume the title to lead the company to new frontiers.
Brown will replace Rob Rosenstein, who was Agoda’s co-founder and CEO since 2010. Rosenstein will move up a notch and will become chairman of Agoda and special advisor to Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel.
Since its inception in 2005, Agoda has been known as an online booking website focused mainly in the Asia Pacific. However, Agoda has set its sights on a bigger goal and to compete with sister brand Booking.com on a global scale. Agoda aims to expand its services beyond Asia.
“Even in the early days, Agoda sold rooms in Asia to Europeans, Middle Easterners, and Americans. As the business has scaled, it should come as no surprise that these have developed into more substantial markets and there’s a network effect,” Rosenstein claimed in an interview.
“So as you start to sell New York to Koreans, and Seoul to New Yorkers, you start to be able to do a decent job of selling that same New Yorker a room in New York,” he added.
Glenn Fogel assuming the role of Booking Holdings CEO was the trigger in the recent management changes. Fogel challenged the team to seek ways to strengthen Agoda’s brand.
“Rob’s vision for Agoda was unparalleled at the time”
“Rob’s vision for Agoda when he co-founded the company was unparalleled at the time. He recognized the immense opportunity in APAC and built a brand with strong loyalty and brand awareness in the region. Our business will continue to benefit from his knowledge of the APAC region and his expertise in digital technology trends, and we couldn’t be more excited to see John step into the role of CEO,” Glenn Fogel stated.
It is most likely that Agoda will undergo a transition soon in pursuit of these goals. Since early 2016, Agoda has been mass hiring. Now, Agoda employs 3,900 workers, a massive jump from the 200-man team before it started hiring. Agoda is advertising more than 150 open positions.


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Though it is under development but Royal Enfield electric motorcycle launch many years away – clears Royal Enfield’s MD Siddharth Lal…
The company’s MD says that while they are working on developing concepts, they are not going to be first in the market to develop an electric motorcycle.
In the recent times, we have been hearing a lot about electric vehicles and how IC engine powered-vehicles will get hurt. Recently, Bajaj Auto’s Director – Rakesh Sharma said that electric vehicles will threaten IC vehicles in the next 5-7 years.
Some major makers have already ventured in this space with pilot projects, some of them are working on them. However, there’s one company that is in no hurry. We’re talking about Chennai-based premium motorcycle manufacturer – Royal Enfield. The company’s Managing Director – Siddharth Lal, was recently caught up in an interview with a popular automotive portal, wherein he spoke on a lot of topics.
When he was asked about the company’s plans for electric vehicles, he had quite a different take on it. He said that they are not going to be the first ones in the market to come up with an electric bike. Instead, the company is studying the market and understanding the technology currently in use.
Siddharth shared that they are developing test mules, prototypes, and riding/testing them to understand the goods and bads in electrification. He went onto say that they may showcase concept electric bikes and prototypes, but they are at least three years away from producing it and it might even be longer.
He said – though the company is in a tearing rush for development, however, they are in no tearing rush to launch it and end up doing a shoddy job. So, though, an electric Royal Enfield will come eventually but it will be around 2023 or after…
Source: ET Auto


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1109 GMT November 20, 2018
Supporting more than 12,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing Asia since 2009, TFP helps reduce market gaps for trade finance by providing loans and guarantees to financial institutions to support trade activities in the region, Xinhua reported.
The ADB said the additional financing will increase TFP's limit to $1.35 billion, keeping up with the increasing market demand for trade finance from the program, which grew over 50 percent in 2017.
TFP is able to support trade financing well above its limit over the course of a year but not breaching the limit at any one point in time by recycling transactions with short maturities and leveraging cofinancing.
"The increased headroom will help us meet the huge surge we've seen in market demand for our trade finance products," said Steven Beck, head of Trade and Supply Chain Finance of ADB.
"It is an exciting time for the team, which is known for its excellent client services, including transaction processing in 24 to 48 hours," Beck said.
Financial institutions in support of trade as well as SMEs play an important role in closing the global trade finance gap, which amounts to $1.5 trillion globally, 40 percent of which is coming from the Asia and Pacific region, according to ADB's latest Trade Finance Gap survey.
TFP has guaranteed or funded 5,583 transactions in 2016 and 2017 alone, valued at $7.6 billion, with cofinancing reaching $4.6 billion.
TFP currently operates in 21 ADB members, with the top five most active markets including Armenia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.


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Retailers paint a bleak picture of Christmas trading and 2011 prospects
UK Retailers are feeling pessimistic in the traditionally peak Christmas trading period, with only 15% of retailers anticipating that they will have a better Christmas in 2010 compared to 2009 according to research by Cybertill, a supplier of cloud based retail software to independent and high street retailers.
Cybertill polled its 600 retail customers, in sectors including charity, fashion, bicycles, sports, discount, footwear, department stores, off licenses and many more, and 41% said they expect sales to be down, while 37% expected roughly the same levels of trading. Only one in four said they felt confident about 2011. Reasons for this lack of confidence included government spending cuts, and poor consumer confidence following bad news from Eurozone countries.
Regarding the 2011 2.5% VAT rise, retailers are split, with 50% of retailers planning to pass the VAT rise onto customers. 37% said that they will absorb the cost, while 13% remain undecided.
Government spending cuts were also blamed, with 25% of retailers surveyed saying that they had been affected by the cuts and 33% of these affected seeing a reduction of 10%+ in takings. However, 58% of retailers surveyed said that they have not been affected by the cuts.
Ian Tomlinson, Executive Chairman of Cybertill, said, “The high street is facing testing times at the moment, due to the uncertain economic climate. But this survey highlights there are positives; some businesses are growing in spite of the economy. They are doing this in a number of ways but central to growth is excellent customer service. It may sound obvious, but too often service levels in store are not seen as a priority, and in these tougher times it is excellent service that can convert ‘passing trade’ into loyal custom. Moreover retailers, of all sizes, that have the right infrastructure and software systems in place can reduce their costs and overheads, by streamlining their operations, such as carrying the right stock levels at the right times, and in turn gaining a competitive advantage over other retailers.”


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by John Moe // Posted: 07/26/10 05:25 PM
The Library of Congress issued a decision on Monday that lets you run software on your smart phone even if Apple or HTC or whoever made the phone doesn’t approve it. It’s a process called “jailbreaking”.
(from USA Today / AP):
In addition to jailbreaking, other exemptions announced Monday would:
• allow owners of used cellphones to break access controls on their phones in order to switch wireless carriers.
• allow people to break technical protections on video games to investigate or correct security flaws.
• allow college professors, film students and documentary filmmakers to break copy-protection measures on DVDs so they can embed clips for educational purposes, criticism, commentary and noncommercial videos.
• allow computer owners to bypass the need for external security devices called dongles if the dongle no longer works and cannot be replaced.
San Francisco passes law requiring cell phone retailers to disclose SAR (specific absorption rate) of phones
by John Moe // Posted: 06/24/10 11:17 AM
Our colleagues over at Marketplace covered this on their show last night.
The council passed a measure on a vote of 10 to 1 and Mayor Gavin Newsom has said he’ll sign it. SAR measures how much radiation is absorbed by a person using the device. The FCC has limits SAR to 1.6 watts per kilogram of body tissue. The measure is in response to fears about cell phones causing brain cancer.
From the NYT:
“From our perspective, this is a very reasonable and quite modest measure that will provide greater transparency and information to consumers for whom this is an area of interest or concern,” said Tony Winnicker, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom. “We’re playing a role that we’ve often played, which is to be at the forefront of a debate.”
But a major United Nations study released last month showed no relation between cell phone use and brain cancer. Cell phone industry reps say they’re concerned this new law will spread unfounded fears about their products.


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Finnish independent developer Housemarque decided to abandon its focus on arcade games a while ago. Yesterday, during this year's Reboot Develop conference held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Housemarque revealed that its next game will be a multiplayer focused title called Stormdivers. No platforms were announced so far.
Hello from Housemarque,
It's time to introduce our latest title that we've been secretly working on for 2 years.
As a part of our recent transition away from our core genres, we've had a hard look at what really makes up an arcade game and how can we bring those elements to whole new heights. Fortunately a few greats have been able to show the way and bring gameplay centric experiences to wider audiences. We hope to expand that progress as we bring our explosive effects and second-to-second gameplay to new genres.
Our newest title will still remain in a slight shroud of mystery, but we can say that it will be a high flying and heavy hitting, multiplayer centric experience. It will be the first title that we treat as an on-going service, this also means that there are ways to get to play it earlier and we'd love to develop it further with a feedback loop in mind.
This will also be our second game made with the Unreal Engine (Matterfall was the first), and now we are also officially branding our added layer of special effects candy as the "Housemarque VFX Engine". Basically meaning that we put an extra effort into creating custom technology solutions that take our upcoming titles to whole new visually shattering ends.
Stormdivers is powered by Unreal Engine 4 as mentioned above, but Housemarque will also use Amazon's Game Tech for its cloud solution.
Last but not least, Stormdivers isn't the only game the studio is working on. In fact, they confirmed during the conference to be working on an "AAA" game based on another IP. This might be in partnership with a bigger publisher given the Triple-A mention.


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The conversation covered Yang’s proposed ‘Freedom Dividend,’ the impact of automation on the economy, and beating Donald Trump.
“We’re the only advanced economy that does not have a value-added tax,” said Yang.
“If you have a value-added tax at even a modest level, because our economy is so vast at $20 trillion plus, a modest value-added tax generates about $800 billion in new revenue.” Yang disagrees that the UBI poses a threat to current social programs.
“To me, there really is no reason why in the richest country in the history of the world, we need to necessarily be making a tradeoff between making the economy more human for people at various stages and making sure Social Security doesn’t go bankrupt,” said Yang.
Yang doesn’t think the $12,000 would lower wages because, he said, “it’s harder to exploit workers that don’t need your job to subsist.” Yang also does not believe the Freedom Dividend is bad for politics or an unfair way to attract votes.
Yang thinks that new economy starts with UBI, which he said would lead to “an additional $20 million of consumer buying power here in Concord a month.” Yang thinks he can beat Trump by focusing on the economy.


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Pharmacy hours are rising again after the summer holidays
Pharmacy patients can expect to see their pharmacy hours increase in September 2018 as the holiday season draws to a close.
A new pharmacy plan has been launched to help boost pharmacy availability in the coming weeks.
The Ontario Association of Pharmacists says that over the course of September, pharmacists will be able to open their doors between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
That will bring them closer to their patients during peak hours, and will help alleviate the strain that pharmacists feel from closing stores during the busy holiday season.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to open more hours, as well as provide additional support to pharmacists in the areas of increased patient and employee health care needs,” said Mark McManus, president of the Ontario Association.
The association is hosting a meeting on September 29, from 6 p.y. to 8 p.k. at the National Bank of Canada, 100 Wellington St., in Ottawa.
Pharmacists will be invited to attend the meeting to discuss the new pharmacy plans.
“Our members have a variety of needs, from prescription medication to pharmacy supplies, and they will have a greater opportunity to access their medications and pharmacy supplies at pharmacy hours,” said McManuses.
“There will be an increase in pharmacy hours during peak business hours.”
The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association also has put out a new poster in support of the pharmacy plans, which include increasing pharmacy hours for pharmacies that offer free or reduced price plans to members, such as Target, Costco, Walgreens and Rite Aid.
The posters are available to purchase at pharmacy.on.ca and will be distributed in pharmacies on September 30.
A spokesperson for Target told The Canadian Press that the pharmacy plan was rolled out over the summer, and that it will not change for September 2018.
“The pharmacy plan that we’re rolling out will not be a new one, and it’s just to ensure that we can maintain our commitment to our customers, so that’s the same as always,” said spokesperson Danielle Rocha.
“As always, our goal is to provide the best and most efficient service to our clients and their families.”
For example, Target has said that it is adding two hours of pharmacy in the morning, and two hours at noon.
Walgreen, meanwhile, has said it is increasing pharmacy access at its stores to ensure its patients receive the best possible service during peak times.
“In a few years, we hope to offer the same quality of service we offer now, which will be at least two hours,” spokeswoman Laura Tapp told the Toronto Star.
“So, we will be looking to be more accommodating of the community’s needs, and we will continue to add more hours to our pharmacy.”
The pharmacy plans are the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at improving pharmacy access for the working poor.
Last fall, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced that it would be extending the province’s pharmacists’ hours of operation to 9 a.”m.
to 4 p.p.m.; the government is also expanding the availability of medication to low-income patients.
Pharmacy services are currently available for seniors, disabled people and those who need medication to treat conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and anxiety.


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Covid-19 completely decimated the highly efficient and super delicate global supply chain. The “Bull Whip” effect was in full display, in what will be a case study for industrial management engineers for decades to come.
It became glaringly obvious that relying upon global product design, manufacturing and transportation becomes nearly impossible when faced with government lock downs. As a result many multinational corporations are bringing their manufacturing facilities back to America after decades of out sourcing that aspect of the supply chain to emerging markets.
Recently the signing of the Chips Act by the federal government helps provide American Chip manufacturing $30 billion to establish manufacturing facilities here in the states. Intel will be building factories in Ohio costing them around $20 billion. While this is win for American manufacturing there must be some caution raised by creating government dependency for these billion dollar corporations.
Nationalizing companies is a slippery slope.
By creating a dependance on tax payer’s money you create entities that become labelled “to big to fail”. While it is true that struggling American companies need help and this is a matter of national security but there is a proven track record that privately operated companies are essential for a diverse product base. This allows for an open competition of product which is at the heart of American economic dominance.
Manufacturing is headed back to the states and this will hopefully bring jobs and improvements to local infrastructure. It is important that businesses do this smartly and keep their sovereignty while doing so.


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The reduced VAT rate of 5% instead of 21% for fresh vegetables, berries, and fruit was introduced for the duration of a pilot project in 2018. The reduced VAT rate was planned for three years and at the same time four indicators were set to be achieved.
In 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture concluded that the criteria had been met with flying colors. The number of taxable persons subject to VAT was set to increase by 10% during that period and increased by 9%. The increase in turnover of goods and services in the crop and vegetable sector had to reach 6%, but it has increased by 9% in 3 years. However, the amount not obtained in the budget was planned to be EUR 6 million annually, but the result was better than that.
The Finance Ministry, on the other hand, took the view that the pilot project had not been successful and that the calculations in the report had been misinterpreted. However, the government agreed to maintain reduced VAT until autumn 2023.
Krauze acknowledged that this reduced VAT rate is no longer planned in the negotiations on next year's budget.
The minister said fruit and vegetable prices did not fall due to the reduction in the VAT rate, but this helped local producers and it also helped in the battle with the shadow economy in the segment.
However, in the summer of this year, the previous government of Krišjānis Kariņš did not take the decision to extend the application of the reduced VAT rate again, and a full 21% rate is planned in next year's budget, Krauze noted.
However, in the negotiations on next year's budget, it has been agreed to allocate an additional EUR 3 million to help fruit and vegetable producers – they will be intended for investments to increase competitiveness and export capacity, the minister said.


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After ending a decade-long contract with Laneige as its brand ambassador, South Korea’s leading actress Song Hye Kyo is moving up the rungs of K-beauty conglomerate Amorepacific, now representing Sulwhasoo as its new “brand muse”. The star is globally recognised for her leading roles in a string of hit K-dramas, including Autumn In My Heart, Full House and most recently Descendants of the Sun. Song’s new role will see her representing the holistic beauty brand’s philosophy, rooted in the harmony and balance between the modern and traditional. According to the official release from Sulwhasoo, the decision to appoint Song was due to her versatility as an actress “with incredible charm who can communicate Sulwhasoo’s heritage to customers around the world in an inspiring way.”
When queried about her thoughts on tradition — given that it is Sulwhasoo’s most important value, here is what the A-lister said: “I believe it is important to create harmony between the traditional and the modern, rather than insisting on the old things. I used to think that tradition was about formality or something unchangeable, which gave me a heavy feeling. But the way I view tradition has changed over time. Tradition becomes more meaningful, only when it is relatable to the here-and-now. I believe it is consistent with how Sulwhasoo interprets tradition. I am looking forward to it.”
Check out the full interview with Song Hye Kyo below:
Song Hye Kyo’s official debut is slated for April 2018, and you can expect to see the actress’ face in Sulwhasoo stores worldwide, both online and offline.
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I’ve been using Google’s new Project Fi service for just over a month now. You pay in advance for Fi service, so that means I just received my second monthly bill. And in a bit of good news for those who tend to fear their wireless bills — mine came with a credit. You see, one of the perks of Project Fi is that you only pay for the data you actually use. I signed up for 1.0GB of data and used a little over 0.6GB, which meant I went into month two with a small credit for the unused portion. But I am getting ahead of myself here.
For those unfamiliar with Project Fi — this is a pre-paid phone service from Google. Project Fi is sort of limited at the moment. Right now you’ll need an invitation to get started, and the service only works with the Nexus 6. But outside of those limitations, which will likely change in time, there are a few solid perks.
Continue reading “Project Fi: After A Month”
Google Glass has already lived and died in the tech press. And to some extent, as Google has closed the Explorer program, Glass is dead at the moment. It also feels like the once vocal group of users has gotten a bit quieter. That isn’t to say Glass users have all gone away, and in fact, I’m still actively wearing mine.
On one side we have what feels like a shrinking user community. And on the other side we have begun hearing rumors and reports about an enterprise version of Glass. So far there hasn’t been anything official from Google in the way of an announcement. But as these rumors and reports have been popping up, the tech press has again been discussing Glass.
And to that point, we are once again hearing about how the public perceived Glass as this privacy invading gadget, and about how everyone (aside from those actively wearing it), hated and feared Glass. Google Glass wasn’t a perfect product, but I also feel there was more to the story that was being told.
You have to remember that only the sensational headlines get the clicks. Anyone who follows along with the tech scene likely remembers the time when someone had Glass ripped from their head, or the time when someone got kicked out of a bar for wearing them, or the time when someone got a ticket for wearing them while driving.
Continue reading “The Google Glass experience story you may not have heard”
Camera quality and battery life are the two most important features on my smartphone. In fact, those are the two main reasons why I’ve been using the OnePlus One. But while the OnePlus One has pretty stellar battery life and an above average camera, I am getting ready to switch to the Nexus 6. You may be wondering, why would someone go from the OnePlus One (a phone they are happy with), to a Nexus 6, which is a good phone, but probably not quite as stellar in terms of camera quality and battery life.
Well, I am making the switch so I can become one of the early users of Project Fi.
For those unfamiliar, Project Fi is a new offering from Google that takes advantage of Wi-Fi, T-Mobile, and Sprint for coverage. Project Fi is a contract-free service and you pay $20 per month for unlimited calling and messaging. Data will then cost you $10 per 1GB. This means if you use 1GB you pay $30 that month, or if you use 2GB you pay $40 that month, and so on. You have to pay in advance, but Google will credit you back for any unused portion of data that you paid for.
Continue reading “I’m switching from the OnePlus One to a Nexus 6 for Google’s Project Fi”


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There are many elements that make up a story. This story is about the slow recovery of the airline (and travel) industry.
First, two key indicators have come up in the news this week.
One, as of June 8 reporting, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that the number of passengers it screened in U.S. airports was more than 441,000. This was an increase of more than 400 percent in volume from the low of 87,500 in mid-April.
And two, the stock market also saw a surge this week, with airline stocks posting their best week on record.
But none of that matters without three. Three is, according to CivicScience data on the matter, the near future is indeed at least starting to look good for airlines and travel, Wall Street aside. That’s because consumer comfort in traveling saw a slight rise last week compared to the prior week. Twenty-five percent of American adults now say they they are comfortable traveling in under a month. While the number of people saying they’d be comfortable traveling / going on vacation in less than one month’s time has steadily increased, the number of people who would wait 6+ months started to significantly dip a bit more, too.
This is arguably one of – if not the most – important elements of the story of travel industry recovery. Consumers decide. While we can’t say exactly where this is headed, the industry should be encouraged by this uptick, however slight.
While the above question does not specifically address airline travel, it is clear that consumer confidence in taking a trip of any kind is starting to rebound. But it’s subtle.
But now we get to part four – the downer – in which further CivicScience data indicate that consumers’ willingness to travel by air specifically is still stagnant as a result of the crisis, not having budged since April.
The percentage of people who plan to travel by air in the next six months has risen by just 1 percentage point since April. That’s staggeringly low.
It is clear that people will start to feel more comfortable traveling, little by little, but people are more reluctant to make plans for airline travel. The road ahead will no doubt be a long (and winding) one for the airline industry.


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"Given the degree to which Apple (AAPL +0.9%) appears undervalued to us, we almost feel that it’s a waste of time to debate the point," says Carl Icahn in a letter outlining his bullish stance on the tech giant.
Icahn trumpets Apple's remaining smartphone/tablet growth potential, and considers pricing/margin concerns unjustified given Apple's strong customer loyalty. He also sees major growth opportunities in the TV, wearable, and payments markets.
Icahn estimates Apple could produce $40B/year in revenue and $15B/year in op. income if its sold 25M TV sets/year (compares with an estimated 2012 market of 238M units) at a $1,600 ASP, and achieved its current company-wide gross margin of 37.7% (well above traditional TV industry margins).
In addition, he views Apple's 575M+ credit card numbers (courtesy of iTunes), fingerprint sensors, and iBeacon mobile positioning platform translating into a huge mobile payments opportunity.
Naturally, Icahn uses his bullish view of Apple's earnings power to argue the company shouldn't be scared to buy back more stock. He doubts Apple needs a major cash hoard for acquisitions, given its conservative M&A track record, and notes it can still raise cheap debt: The company's 5-year bonds yield just 2%, and its 10-year bonds 3.63%.


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Traders who were due to exhibit at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show before it was cancelled are to be reimbursed.
In a move expected to cost around £700,000, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society will write to 600 businesses offering reimbursement to coves the cost of their stand.
The final two days of the three day show had to be cancelled after rain resulted in the car parks being unsafe.
The cancellation is expected to cost the Society around £2 million in ticket refunds, extensive remedial work to the car parks, cancelled attractions and displays, and reimbursement of trade stands.
Nigel Pulling, Society chief executive said: “Under our terms and conditions no refund is due, but we recognise the loss of two days’ business will have a severe impact at a time when trading is already challenging. Therefore, we have taken the decision to offer this refund.”


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Courtesy: Lucid Motors
Lucid Group is reducing its car generation forecast for this year by as considerably as 40%, sending shares of the electric powered motor vehicle begin-up tumbling 14% throughout immediately after several hours buying and selling.
The organization on Monday cited provide chain constraints and elements quality challenges for slashing generation to between 12,000 and 14,000 cars, down from original anticipations of 20,000.
“This demonstrates the extraordinary supply chain and logistics worries we have encountered and our unrelenting focus on providing the highest-high quality merchandise,” Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson said in a assertion. “We continue being confident in our ability to seize the tremendous opportunities in advance specified our engineering leadership and potent need for our cars.”
Rawlinson, on a phone with traders Monday, stated the challenges are additional to do with commodity areas these as glass and carpet fairly than an ongoing world scarcity of semiconductor chips. He mentioned the problems are with a handful of its roughly 250 suppliers.
The company’s initial electric car is a $169,000 sedan termed the Lucid Air Desire Version. Given that commencing retail manufacturing in the drop, the organization has created additional than 400 of the vehicles at a new factory in Arizona. It has sent much more than 300 of people units to clients, like 125 models through the fourth quarter, the corporation mentioned Monday.
Rawlinson mentioned Lucid also will delay its 2nd vehicle, an electrical SUV referred to as Gravity, to the 1st half of 2024. It was at first anticipated in 2023. He said the hold off is to refine the products and give much more time to impose very best procedures from launching the Air.
Read far more about electric powered vehicles from CNBC Professional
Lucid declared the manufacturing forecast and sales as component of reporting its fourth-quarter final results. The automaker claimed a reduction of $1 billion all through the fourth quarter on income of $26.4 million. It misplaced $4.8 billion in 2021, the company documented.
Shares of Lucid, which went community in July by a SPAC offer, closed Monday at $28.98 a share, up by 10%. The company’s current market cap is $47.7 billion.
Lucid explained buyer reservations now exceed 25,000 models, reflecting potential revenue of additional than $2.4 billion. That’s up from 17,000 models in November.
Lucid also confirmed ideas to develop its initial worldwide assembly plant in Saudi Arabia. Rawlinson reported the plant is envisioned to commence production in 2025. Optimum ability is slated to be 150,000 models, he reported.


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Sales of "erection-stimulating honey" banned by Dutch authority
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) banned the sale of Epimedyumlu Macun - an erection stimulating herbal and honey paste. The paste contains Sildenafil, a substance in erectile dysfunction medicines that can only be prescribed by doctors as it can have dangerous side effects.
The NVWA investigated Epimedyumlu Macun after a warning from Germany. Inspectors took samples of the paste from five companies and had them analyzed. They found that just two teaspoons of the honey product contain the same amount of Sildenafil as that of a prescription drug for erectile dysfunction.
"People may consume more of this herbal paste, increasing the intake of Sildenafil and thereby increasing the risk of side effects," the NVWA said. Side effects can include heart problems, diarrhea, and blurred vision.
The NVWA ordered businesses to immediately stop selling Epimedyumlu Macun and destroy what they have in stock. Bol.com and Marktplaats have already removed the providers from their platforms.
The authority also urged consumers not to use Epimedyumlu Macun.


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- The White House said in mid-October that China would buy as much as $50 billion worth of US farm products.
- But that has not yet been confirmed by the second-largest economy.
- That quota would amount to more than double the amount China imported in 2017.
- Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
More than a month after President Donald Trump announced an interim trade agreement with China, the agricultural terms he touted have not yet been confirmed.
The White House said in mid-October that China would buy as much as $50 billion worth of US farm products amid broader efforts to defuse a 19-month economic dispute. But China has pushed back against including a numerical commitment in the text of the pact, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
A $50 billion quota would be more than double the amount that country imported in 2017. Chinese officials have privately warned against an influx of that size, according to Reuters.
When asked to confirm those figures last month, the Chinese embassy in Washington referred Business Insider to public comments in which a spokesperson said there would be an unspecified amount of agricultural purchases. The embassy did not offer an update Wednesday afternoon.
The White House and the Office of the US Trade Representative did not respond to emails requesting comment.
Doubts have emerged about whether the first part of a trade agreement would be signed before the end of the year. Trump denied a claim from China last week that the US had agreed to lift a portion of the tariffs that have been levied on thousands of products.
On Tuesday, Trump said the two sides had made progress but warned he would increase punitive duties if an agreement could not be reached. Separate tariff increases are still scheduled to take effect December 15.
"I tell it to everybody: If we don't make a deal, we're going to substantially raise those tariffs," he said. "They're going to be raised very substantially."


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Sales of high-sugar soft drinks in South Africa fell by 28% in the 12 months after the introduction of the 2018 sugar tax, a new study has found.
The volumes decline saw purchases of soft drinks above the 4g-per-10cl tax threshold drop to a per-capita level of 44cl per day, equal to about one and a half cans of soda. Despite the declines in full-sugar carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), purchased volumes of lower-sugar drinks remained level in the 12-month period, according to the research published this month in The Lancet Planetary Health.
The authors of the study concluded a sugar tax can be used by governments to reduce sugar consumption and suggested a broader role for levies. They also said the findings were in-line with studies on Mexico’s tax on sugary soft drinks, introduced in 2014.
One further discovery was that purchases of high-sugar CSDs started to decline as soon as the announcement of the tax was made. The authors put this down in part to increased consumer awareness caused by the announcement but also due to the response from the beverage industry.
The June 2016 proposal of the levy “seems to have triggered anticipatory sugar-content reduction by volume and other strategies such as downsizing of packages in the run-up to, as well as after, the implementation of the tax policy”, the report explained.
South Africa was the first African market to implement a sugar content-based tax. The initial proposal was for a 20% levy on beverages above 4g-per-10cl but the legislation was eventually cut back to 10%.


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Since October of last year, the Wheaton Bookstore and C-Store have offered students the opportunity to purchase mace spray, a defensive tear gas that causes severe irritation of an attacker’s eyes.
After managing editor Maryam Bighash wrote an article titled “Oregon shooting prompts on-campus swat team training comes to Wheaton,” a decision was made by the staff to begin offering it for purchase. However, only three mace dispensers were sold within the past six months, and senior C-Store employee Angela Tsarouhis said, “It’s not a popular item.”
The Record contacted store manager Jennifer Hampton, who noted the specific line in The Record article that caught her attention. In the article, Bigash brought attention towards the vulnerability that Wheaton College students face due to the technical issues that arise during lockdown procedures.
Public Safety Bob Norris reminded students that pepper spray is legal to carry on campus and that he “encourages students and staff to be aware of and ready for any possibility.” The line caused bookstore staff to explore options of selling it.


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An essential part of any business is the employees that make it go, grow and thrive. This is especially true for restaurants and hospitality businesses, where employees are on the front lines of engaging and delighting customers. However, these businesses have been some of the hardest hit when considering how difficult it is to find and retain quality labor in today’s tough market. According to the National Restaurant Association, 65% of restaurant operators say they don’t have enough staff to support customer demand. A recent study by the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that 97% of hotel managers say they are dealing with a staffing shortage, and 49% saying they are severely understaffed.
The impact the current labor shortage has had on the restaurant and hospitality industries has been well covered. While dissecting the cause and effect of the dilemma is important, what’s more meaningful are discussions around how these industries can move forward; examining what’s worked and what hasn’t, and most importantly, uncovering how decision-makers in the service industry can set businesses up for long-term success.
Embracing Technology’s New Role
Unsurprisingly, the staffing shortage has led to a decrease in satisfied customers. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s Travel Study, guest satisfaction fell 2.7% from 2021 to 2022, with long wait times and negative experiences with overworked staff significantly contributing to this figure.
Many operators in both restaurant and hospitality sectors have turned to modern tech solutions to help ease the pain caused by the labor shortage. For example, large chain restaurants like Marco’s Pizza and Applebees are leveraging AI for call-in orders and reservations so that the staff can better focus on serving customers on-site. Michigan’s Jet’s Pizza chain is offering a 15% discount to customers who use its automated phone line to order. In the hospitality space, one of the first technologies hoteliers flocked to was digital check-in solutions; usage of this tech has increased 66% among U.S. hotels. Digital room keys are also one of the more popular options as 46% of travelers say a mobile room key is an important feature. Other tech solutions like physical robots that clean rooms or deliver food and beverages, digital payment and communications solutions, and others, are not only driving improved guest experiences, they also make the available staff more efficient and available to personalize guest experiences.
Proper Planning And Customer Education Is Key
Deploying tech to survive in this thin labor market requires thoughtfulness about which technologies fit into short and long-term plans, and investing in the ones that can actually boost staff efficiency and enhance customer experiences. Having the right solutions in place can significantly improve staff productivity and customer experience. However, poorly implemented and/or rushed technology, an added obstacle to staff and not part of a long-term plan can deliver the opposite effect.
When rolling out any new tech, especially in the restaurant and hospitality space, managers and operators should first ask “What convenience or streamlining am I adding to the overall experience?” For new technologies to have the desired effect, the bottom line is it must add value to the consumer’s day-to-day experience. Tech like digital payment options certainly add value in theory, but these solutions must actually deliver that same value in practice. For example, if a pay at table or digital check-in solution frees up staff, but they’re still unable to engage customers better, managers must then reevaluate their plans and examine if this was the right tech for a specific problem. If the new tech fails even 5% of the time, the most important customers, the early adopters, will spread the word about their negative experience. As the old saying goes, “You don’t get a second chance at the first impression.”
For hotels specifically, having a consistent digital experience is more impactful for sustainable results than introducing one-off tech solutions. Hotel operators must offer a full experience around digital that makes a stay more entertaining, efficient, and beneficial than just a robot or digital key experience would be. This includes the ability to order (sundries, food, transportation, drinks, tickets for local events), the ability to reserve a table/seat at the bar, the ability to tip staff, and more. One hub where guests can manage and even customize their experiences and employees are more informed and ready to delight, is what really delivers the modern experience that is talked so much about.
About CardFree CEO and Co-Founder, Jon Squire
Jon Squire has more than 20 years of business, marketing, and product development experience in financial services and emerging technologies. Jon founded CardFree in 2012 with the vision of filling a gap in the marketplace for an integrated commerce platform for large merchants. Jon has consistently driven innovation and created world-class product offerings in new categories. He launched the first national mobile P2P offering in partnership with Sprint and PayPal and is well known for his leading-edge work with NFC, barcode, and alternative technologies that integrate with the point of sale. Earlier in his career, he also led mobile/e-commerce payment initiatives for Wells Fargo and ran E*TRADE Advisory Services.


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By Lucy Cormack
Meat continues to be the meal of choice for Australians, who are spending $378 million a week on meat to cook at home.
Figures released by discount supermarket chain Aldi show the average Australian household cooks four-and-half meat meals each week, spending around $46.
According to the Galaxy Research poll, chicken is the highest-ranked meat in Australia, with 47 per cent of the nation ranking it as their favourite.
An Aldi spokesperson said the results showed Australians were "looking for better value [and] wanting to squeeze more meat into their weekly grocery budget without having to compromise on quality."
Lamb is most popular in NSW, while Western Australia has a greater taste for pork than anywhere else in the country.
The ACT has the biggest appetite for meat, with just over half of respondents eating five or more meat-based meals a week.
Lisa Sharp, chief marketing and communications officer for Meat and Livestock Australia, said Australia led the world as the largest meat consuming nation.
"We know Australians love their beef and lamb, they have been staples on the dinner table for decades," she said.
"This has meant that despite consumers experiencing large price rises at the retail level over the past decade, Australians have been prepared to spend more on red meat."
Over the past few decades, the value of the Australian beef industry has increased from approximately $5 billion to $8 billion.
"At the retail level, the value share of beef sales (as a percentage of total meat sales) has remained solid, averaging between 36-40 per cent over the past five years, whereas chicken's value share has averaged between 24-26 per cent of total meat retail sales," Ms Sharp said.
At the end of last month, Aldi took the lead in a meat price war with rivals Coles and Woolworths, which started when Woolworths cut the cost of its lamb leg to $10/ kilo, along with the price of other popular meat lines including mince and sausages.
The dramatic price cuts garnered criticism from some in the industry, who argued small, independent butchers in country towns could not compete with such prices.
Beef prices have on average increased 66 per cent from $10.60/kg in 2000 to $17.61/kg retail weight in 2015.
In Bondi Junction in Sydney's east owner of The Meat Store Peter Ilic said he was aware when price wars took place, but he did not follow them too closely.
"We always go back to what we are doing in our own stores, rather than trying to compete with businesses so much bigger than ours," he said.
"We are a small family business. We serve 3000 customers a week in our [two] stores. Their margins are much bigger than ours but we still manage to sell at a price that matches theirs, quality for quality."
Mr Ilic said his customers continued to tend towards lamb and free-range pork, due to the ongoing high price of beef.
In the four years of operating his stores, he says the biggest change has been the shift towards grass-fed meat.
"We now see a huge backlash against grain-fed beef. I think we are eating less meat, but consumers are a lot wiser in what they buy," he said, adding that transactions were smaller, but what customers purchased was "high grade".
Mr Ilic said at his store, "chicken is actually the least popular meat" among customers, with beef the most popular, followed by lamb and then pork.


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Starbucks CEO transition plan gets muted reaction from Wall Street
Laxman Narasimhan, April 13, 2018.
Guillermo Gutierrez | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Wall Street’s reaction to Starbucks’ new CEO was muted Friday morning, with shares down nearly 1% after the coffee company named outside restaurant maker Laxman Narasimhan as its next leader.
Starbucks announced late Thursday that Narasimhan will join the company in October before taking the top position in April. He will succeed interim CEO Howard Schultz, who returned to the coffee giant for his third assignment earlier this year. Schultz will remain as an advisor and remain on the board. BTIG analyst Peter Salih compared the structure to the model of a co-CEO in a customer note.
Now, all eyes are on Starbucks Investor Day in Seattle on September 13th.
“Most importantly, this appointment removes a significant burden from [Starbucks] Barclays analyst Jeffrey Bernstein wrote, with focus now shifting to 22 Day Investor.
The company is expected to unveil a reinvention plan that will bring bold changes to the chain and its cafes. Schultz formulated the strategy and will remain highly involved in its implementation.
Schultz’s previous trips led to double-digit declines in Starbucks stock. When the company announced in late 2016 that then-CEO Kevin Johnson would replace Schultz, shares plunged as much as 10% in extended trading. Johnson was a relative newcomer in the restaurant industry, joining Starbucks as COO after decades of working in technology.
But Wall Street doesn’t seem too concerned about Starbucks’ latest move plan. When the company announced its new CEO Thursday night, the stock fell less than 1% in extended trading. In a sign of investor confidence in Narasimhan, shares of Reckitt, the current employer of Lysol and Durex, fell 5.7% on Thursday after the surprise announcement of his departure later this month.
“Narasimhan joins from Reckitt where he oversaw a successful restructuring, and it will likely be an invaluable experience for the reinvention that Schultz so clearly envisions. [Starbucks]Edward Lewis, an analyst at Atlantic Equities, said in a note on Friday.
Analysts focused on Narasimhan’s global experience, which could boost Starbucks sales in emerging markets. His previous roles have included serving as President of PepsiCo’s operations in Latin America, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Andy Parrish, analyst at Jefferies, wrote that Narasimhan “brings the right kind of fresh perspective, leadership capabilities and energy” to take Starbucks to the next level.


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A national fitness chain paid $1.3 million for 5.7 acres of land on Siegen Lane and plans to build a health club on the site.
LA Fitness closed on the land near Academy Sports, at Industriplex Boulevard, according to documents filed Thursday with the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court’s Office. The seller was Siegen Retail LLC.
LA Fitness operates more than 500 health clubs across the U.S. and Canada. This would be the company’s first location in Louisiana.
At the Trends in Real Estate Seminar held earlier this month, it was announced that LA Fitness had the site under contract and planned on building a 38,000-square-foot exercise center at the site. Charlie Colvin of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate helped broker the deal.
The LA Fitness center is a half-mile from where Planet Fitness is working on a new location in the Siegen Village shopping center. The chain is currently renovating nearly 30,000 square feet of retail space that had been home for a Stage store.


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While tickets to the MLB All Star Game aren’t on sale to the general public yet, Cleveland Indians season ticket holders are already hoping to cash in their tickets.
According to Fox Cleveland, the Indians were given 21,000 of the 35,000 total ticket allotment for July’s Midsummer Classic, yet about 90 to 95 percent of those tickets are already accounted for by season ticket holders. Mark Klang, president of Amazing Tickets, told Fox that lower level seats are approximately $1400 or more, and “a lot of season ticket holders are looking to cash in and sell both the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game.” Right now, some All-Star tickets are online for about $400, he said.
StubHub currently lists tickets starting at $425, Vivid Seats for $415, and TicketNetwork for $412.
There is no set date for when these will be available to the public, but some fans are saying they’d be willing to buy the tickets. One fan, Craig Bogart of Columbus, Ohio, told Fox he would pay if he could score tickets around $250 to $300 each “just to have a chance to go see the All-Star Game.”
Klang, however, believes that the game isn’t a hot commodity for most people since Cleveland is not “one of the most desirable cities for folks to come and vacation [to].” Additionally, Progressive Field, where the game will be held, is a smaller stadium, only holding about 34,000 seats, Klang said, and this is the sixth time the city will host the game.
The 90th MLB All-Star game is set to take place on Tuesday, July 9.
Last Updated on May 10, 2019 by Olivia Perreault